Circuit-closer.



PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

T. M. FOOTE.

'JIRGUIT-GLOSER.

A'PE'MGA'I'IGE FILED nov. a, 1m.

'INVENTOR UNITED STATES EATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE M. FOOTE, OF ALLSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CIRCUIT-CLOSER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented :Nov. 5, 1907.

Application {11 1 November 3,1906. SerillNo. 341,889.

ston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Closers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in circuit closers of the type in which circuit is made and broken intermittently in the operation of constantly moving mechanism, and the objects of my invention are, first, to simplify mechanism of this description and reduce the number and cost of the working parts, second, to insure positive operation and accurate timing of the circuit making and breaking, and, third, to so construct and arrange'the parts that a rubbing contact between the electrodes is secured, whereby the contact surfaces will be constantly kept clean and free from dirt and corrosion.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will describe in detail an embodiment thereof, having reference to the accompanying drawings'illustrating same, and will then tures inclaims.

In the drawings: Figure l is a face view ofcircuit closing means embodying my invention, showing the same connected with, and driven from, an ordinary spring motor and clock train. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the circuit closing members. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary face view of portions of one of the circuit closing members, showing the same on a very much larger scale than that employed for Fig. 1.

The circuit closer herein illustrated comprises two members, a rotary member 5 and a relatively stationary member 6. The rotary member comprises two substantially similar toothed wheels 7 and 8, secured together, one slightly in advance angularly oi the other. These wheels are mounted upon an arbor 9, and are rotated by means of an ordinary spring and clock train 10 through any convenient gearing. The

wheel 7 is composed of electrically conductive mate-' rial, such as brass, while the wheel 8 is composed of electrically non-conductive material, such as rubber, fiber, or the like, or otherwise insulated from the wheel 7. These wheels are quite similar, except that the teeth of the wheel 7 extend radially slightly further than the teeth of the wheel 8. In practice, the teeth of both said wheels are first formed exactly alike, and their the tips of the teeth of the wheel 8 are cut off. This will be clearly and readily unders ood by refer- 01108 to Fig. 3'of the drawings. The wheel 8 is arranged slightly in advance of the wheel 7, the direction of rotation of the said wheels being in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3.

The contact member 6 comprises a thin resilient point out the novel 'fea l l l strip comprising a brush or contact piece. said strip secured to a block 11 insulated from the rest *of, the device. The end of the strip .6 is so located, and is of such a width, as to engage the teeth of either or both of the said'wheels 7 and 8. Normally the end of the said strip will rest upon the teeth of the wheel 8, because the said teeth are slightly in advance of the teeth of the wheel 7 and, as the said teeth are of electricall y non-conductive material, no current will flow from the contact member 6 to the contact member 5 during this time. In the rotation of the member 5, however, the end of the strip 6 will finally slip off the end of a tooth of the wheel 8, and will then rest for a short time upon the outer extremity of one of the teeth of the wheel 7. The wheel 7, being of electrically conductive material. circuit will be closed between the members 6 and 5 for so long a time as this engagement is permitted to take place. The engagement, however, is of short duration, because, in its advance, the tooth of the wheel 7 which extends but a short distance from the tooth of the wheel 8, will quickly release the said spring strip 6, and'the said strip will then spring over the outer edge of the tooth of the wheel 7 to be received by the next successive tooth of the wheel 8.

By. this means it will be seen that, while the strip 6 is insulated for the major portion of the time from the member 5, it will be caused to intermittently close contact toward the end of each successive tooth,

whereby, upon a complete revolution of the member 5, there will have been a succession of contacts made and broken equal to the number of teeth on either of the wheels which go to make up the said member 5.

By the foregoing it will be seen that I haveprovided an exceedingly simple mechanism for successively making and breaking electrical contact, and that-both make and break are positive in every sense of the word. The rubbing contact between the end of the strip 6 and the portion of the metallic teeth of the wheel 7. is such as to insure electrical connection every time contact 7 is made, and such rubbing contact has, as will be well understood, the effect of keeping the points of contact clean and preventing corrosion etc, It will also be understood that both make and break occur quickly and not gradually, the make occurring at the moment the end-of the spring piece 6 drops from an insulating tooth to a metal tooth, and the break occurring as the end of the said contact strip snaps off the edge of a metal tooth. dcrslood to those skilled in this art.

The advantage of this will be well un- 2. A circuit closer comprising two s lb'sta ntiilily toothed wheels secured together, one slighth-l oi the other, the teeth of one of said wh posed of electrically non-conductive mat teeth of the other of said wheels composed 'imilar advance of metal, and the other, of vegetable material, one 0! said wheels set slightly in advance of the other, an'dfa single contact piece common to both said wheels arranged to successively engage the teeth of both said wheels.-

4. A circuit closer comprising a brass toothed wheel 7,

and a rubber toothed wheel 8, secured together, the latter slightly in advance of the former, means for rotating and a relatively stationary a two contact wheels together, contact piece 6, arranged opposite the tee the th of both said wheels, and arranged to engage the successive teeth 0! the said wheels .in alternation.

,gether, one slightly in" ii'dvance wheel,

5. A circu i'tclosr comprisin two substantially similar toothed wheels insulated from each'other and secured toangularly of the other, 'nnd n ingie contact piecearrunged to successively enilgo he said teeth or both=.said" wheels.

"thee wheels insulated from'each other and -,|ecurec i toether one slightly inadvance angularly of the other;

inlian oortions of the teeth of said wheels, said contact piece being kept away hereby portions of the: teeth of one wheel will project i1h0ye portions of the teeth of the other wheel, hut other u. A'circuit closer comprising two substantially similar i; the teeth dole latter we wheel'wlil project' I teeth of the former said and a contact piece arranged to bear upon'the Irom the teeth of one wheel bythe teeth or the other said wheel in alternation :r'neon'onn; M. rooms.

Witnesses:

D. Howhm) Huwoon, C. F. CAnnmo'roN. 

